After a serious motorcycle accident, most riders will want to know how quickly they can get back on their bikes. They can be repaired or replaced, and injuries can heal, but this takes time and typically a lot of money.
In Southern California, an injured rider should contact an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer in Los Angeles for an estimate of the damages that are available in their case. At Salamati Law, we understand the joy and freedom that riders get from their bikes. We use our twenty-five years of experience in representing riders to recover the largest damages awards that may be available.
How are an injured rider’s damages calculated in a motorcycle accident case?
Damages in a motorcycle accident case are a combination of the rider’s actual financial losses and their non-economic damages for pain and suffering.
Actual financial losses include:
- Past and prospective medical expenses for treatment of injuries
- Actual costs for occupational therapy and rehabilitation
- Transportation costs to get to and from medical and therapy appointments
- Lost wages for the period when injuries prevent the rider from going to work
- Reimbursement of expenses for personal services while recovering from injuries
- Costs of repairing or replacing a damaged bike and any gear that was ruined in the accident
Damages for pain and suffering are a function of:
- The emotional trauma suffered by the injured rider, both in the immediate aftermath of the accident and into the future (i.e., post-traumatic stress);
- The severity of the pain caused by injuries and any chronic pain that continues after recovery
- Mental and physical stresses placed on the injured rider’s family and support systems
- Loss of consortium and relationships with significant others
- The psychological costs of permanent scarring or disfigurement.
How quickly can an injured rider recover compensation in a motorcycle accident case?
The timing of the payment will depend on whether the case settles or goes to trial. Settlement payments can be recovered more quickly, but an average motorcycle accident settlement might be lower than damages that a jury awards.
In every case, an experienced motorcycle accident attorney can assess whether an injured rider can recover more through a settlement or by taking their case to trial. If a settlement is rejected, the trial might not happen for several months or more.
In either event, the injured rider in Southern California will have an opportunity to recover a larger damages award more quickly by hiring experienced Los Angeles motorcycle accident lawyers and starting a lawsuit as soon as is possible after the accident.
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Should an injured rider accept a quick settlement offer from an insurance company?
Hiring a lawyer as soon as is possible after an accident will prevent the negligent party’s insurance company from attempting to settle the case for a small, nominal amount before any lawsuit is filed. An insurer might offer to pay for damage to the rider’s bike and actual medical bills from the first few days after the accident. However, that quick offer will inevitably exclude all future costs and expenses and any recovery for pain and suffering.
An injured rider should always consult with a lawyer before accepting any insurance company settlements or signing any liability release forms that the insurance company might require. Once a liability release form is signed, a rider will forfeit the opportunity to recover all further compensation.
Contact our team at Salamati Law for a free consultation
Please see our website or call Salamati Law directly for a free consultation. You will meet with a knowledgeable and experienced Los Angeles motorcycle accident lawyer about the compensation that you might be able to recover. If you retain our firm and we accept your case, we will fight tirelessly to help you recover the largest available damages award—so you can focus on your recovery.